Washington DC – The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) today welcomed the launch of the first round of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations between the United States and European Union this week in Washington, DC.

NFTC President Bill Reinsch released the following statement:

"With the U.S.-EU trade negotiations officially underway, we are one step closer to further expanding and strengthening a very important economic relationship and establishing an agreement that would boost economic growth, create American jobs and increase exports.

"There is much work to be done, and we are hopeful that significant progress will be made this week. We urge negotiators on both sides of the table to remain committed to an ambitious and comprehensive agreement."

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About the NFTCAdvancing Global Commerce for Nearly A Century- The National Foreign Trade Council (www.nftc.org) is a leading business organization advocating an open, rules- based global trading system. Founded in 1914 by a broad-based group of American companies, the NFTC now serves hundreds of member companies through its offices in Washington and New York.